As Supreme Grand Emperor of the Republicans, I agree that to handle the $1.5 trillion deficit, we will agree to raise taxes by $750 billion and you will agree to cut spending by $750 billion
Would you do it? What would you cut?
How many Republicans on the board think the Democrats will use the $750 billion to spend even more money if the take control of the House?
Your premise needs some flushing out (or I’m too thick to understand it, a definite possibility I admit)…
Where is the $750B comming from that you’re talking about here:
“How many Republicans on the board think the Democrats will use the $750 billion to spend even more money if the take control of the House?”
No. The Republicans are malignant, irrational, dishonorable and corrupt, and can under no circumstances be trusted. I would make no deals whatsoever with them; there’s no point since they’ll just break their word the moment they can get away with it. Or before they can get away with it. Nor do they have any intention of reducing the deficit, or of doing anything else that will help the country or anyone else besides themselves and their wealthy cronies.
The military. By a factor of, say, ten or so.
What makes you think that the Democrats are the ones who spend indiscriminately? It was the Republicans who went out of their way to spend America into massive debt.
Which is why I’d raise taxes more than that. As long as we indulge our pathological refusal to make the wealthy pay their fair share, there’s no way we are going to get the debt down.
The tax increase. Cad is insinuating that if republicans allowed for a 750 billion dollar tax increase, the democrats would just add it to their spending rather than to pay down the debt.
As I said though; I’d never make a deal with them since there’s no point. They’d take the 740B cuts, insist that it all be in things like social services and law enforcement against the wealthy/corporations, then refuse to actually let the tax increases go through - or insist that it all goes on the back of the poor and middle class. Guaranteed. It’s like making a deal with a less honest version of the Devil; they will screw you over.
In the hypothetical that’s set up in the OP; these hypothetical Republicans will let you cut anything you want that adds up to $750B and will actively raise taxes by $750B. We’re not talking about a real situation or real Republicans. The question asked is, assuming 100% compliance with the deal, if you have to cut $750B, what would you cut?
Military budget*, corporate welfare, agricultural subsidies. Badda-bing.
*(only by 20% or so; I regrettably have to admit that I do believe we keep some peace in the world with our bloated military, despite the occasional completely immoral adventure)
What are your numbers? Ok, so you’ve cut the Mil budget by 20%, saving $134B. If we get rid of all ag. subsidies, that’s what? Another $13B? So that’s still about another $600B to cut. I don’t know what programs you’re defining as “corporate welfare”, but I’d be surprised if there are $600B of them.